Trauma, Mental Health and Domestic Violence

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More than 57 million people in the United States (age 18 and older) suffer from a mental illness. Over 50% of women who live with a mental illness have previously experienced some sort of trauma such as physical or sexual abuse (either during childhood or adulthood). Domestic violence can cause an adverse ripple effect on the emotional and psychological state of a survivor. Panic attacks, post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, depression and anxiety are often ignited by domestic violence and/or other severe forms of abuse. Issues surrounding poor mental health are often ignored or go unaddressed by society. Coping with emotional and psychological traumas often becomes burdensome for survivors. Stabilizing basic resources can become strenuous and tedious. Persons living with mental illness are overrepresented in homelessness populations, prisons, and often experience economic injustices. Suicidal tendencies, substance abuse and psychotic episodes can all be sparked by violence and maltreatment. Individuals may simultaneously suffer from more than one mental illness. Children exposed to domestic violence are at risk for developmental delays, psychiatric disorders, school difficulties, aggressive behavior, and low self-esteem. While being exposed to a traumatic experience can trigger mental health problems, living with a severe mental illness is likely to increase the vulnerability of a person being abused. Although abuse can cause emotional scarring, the majority of victims do not develop serious mental health issues.

FCADV provides many resources to certified domestic violence centers for enhancing service provision to survivors living with mental health complexities. These resources include onsite and electronic training and technical assistance as well as educational materials. Please use this page to search for resources to support service provision in your center.

Abuse rates are higher among homeless women with serious mental illnesses. A study with 99 episodically homeless women with serious mental illness, found that significant numbers had been physically (70%) or sexually (30.4%) abused by a partner. Rates of physical or sexual abuse in adulthood by any perpetrator were 87% and 76%, respectively (Goodman et al, 1995).

Between 3.3 million and 10 million children witness domestic violence annually (American Bar Association, 2009).

Across studies of US and Canadian women receiving services for domestic violence, rates of depression ranged from 17% to 72%, and rates of PTSD ranged from 33% to 88% (Warshaw & Barnes, 2003).